New And Need Advice (Please)

[Gamatech 3]

Hi everyone

 

I'm both new to the forum and new to the sport, and I am looking to buy my first air rifle. I am looking to use it for hunter field target with a small possibility of hunting later on if I decide to. I am definitely sure that I want a springer because of it's consistancy in power, the cheaper price and the fact that you don't need to use any extra equipment. I have also settled on a 177 calibre for it's smaller ark and higher accuracy at longer range (correct me if I am wrong in this information). The rifle I will buy will be equal to or less than 12 foot pounds as I live in England and I do not have a firearms license. After many weeks of looking around I think I have narrowed my choice down to one of two rifles.

 

I like the Air Arms TX200 because of it's very high levels at accuracy at long range. I also like the fact that it isn't pellet fussy and that it is a fixed barrel, eliminating any possible issues with a break barrel not lining up correctly after it's used after a certain amount of time. The stock looks great and unless I decide to go hunting further down the line the noise of the bear trap whilst loading doesn't really matter to me.

 

I have learned that the rifle is particularly heavy and could tire you out after a while, affecting your own accuracy as your arms loose energy. Also no matter what safety locks, bear traps and other gizmos on the gun there is always a risk that little guillotine will do some serious damage if it were to fail for some reason.

 

The other rifle I am looking at is the Weihrauch HW95K. This break barrel rifle is much faster, easier and safer to load compared to the TX200. It is also far lighter which means your arms would get less tired whilst using it. The gun is cheaper to buy and you can easily de-cock the rifle without discharging it into the ground.

 

However I have serious concerns about how the barrel will line up with the rest of the gun after time goes on. I also think that the HW95K is less accurate in general compared to the TX200, which as you can probably tell is one of my main desires in a rifle. Furthermore I don't like the stock that much; whilst it is very comfortable to hold I think it looks very thin and "twiggy". Although this clearly isn't the case at all I also think it looks more like a toy than other rifles, which I don't like at all.

 

So that's my opinion on these two rifles I am looking at, but as a student I do not want to spend 3, 4, 500 pounds on a product based on my rough and un-experienced guess at which is best. I would very much appreciate any kind of opinions or advice on the topic to help me choose which of these I should get.

 

Thanks VERY much for any replies, they will certainly be put to good use.

[gurtwurz 792]

Hi mate, welcome to THL. Sounds like you've done your research so thats a good start. Of the two, personally I'd go for the tx over the 95 for a couple of reasons, one of these being that weihrauch's quality control is slipping a bit and theyre not what they used to be, unless theyre tuned in which case add another £50-70 to the asking price. Theyre still solid enough around the barrel latch though so accuracy is unlikely to be affected. The other reason I'd have a tx is because I find the 95 way too light, it does tend to bounce around a bit more than I'd like. I'm not a big bloke at all mind you, and I have no troubles carting a tx sized rifle size around all day. Theyre both rediculously accurate rifles so at the end of the day, try both and see which fits you best and feels most comfortable from all firing positions.

There is an alternative to both, that being the hw98, heavier than the 95 but not as weighty as a tx and with an adjustable stock to boot. Very nice rifles for both hft and the field, although a bit loud on firing.

 

Hope this helps, wurz

[jw74 27]

another vote for the tx here too,although i swear by 177 in pcp i would go for 22 in spring as i find them smoother a less twangy,good luck choosing

[webster 90]

if your after a tx in .22 giz a shout i have a scruffy one if you look threw my posts you will see i got it for feck all but have spent some time and money sorting it . new spring richer optics 6x40 milidot scope the stock has been stripped and re done and the rust has been removed the best i can , i could do with a re blue but if your interested £100 + post to your door

 

was shooting 10.9 with aa fields last time i checked

[Gamatech 3]

Hi mate, welcome to THL. Sounds like you've done your research so thats a good start. Of the two, personally I'd go for the tx over the 95 for a couple of reasons, one of these being that weihrauch's quality control is slipping a bit and theyre not what they used to be, unless theyre tuned in which case add another £50-70 to the asking price. Theyre still solid enough around the barrel latch though so accuracy is unlikely to be affected. The other reason I'd have a tx is because I find the 95 way too light, it does tend to bounce around a bit more than I'd like. I'm not a big bloke at all mind you, and I have no troubles carting a tx sized rifle size around all day. Theyre both rediculously accurate rifles so at the end of the day, try both and see which fits you best and feels most comfortable from all firing positions.

There is an alternative to both, that being the hw98, heavier than the 95 but not as weighty as a tx and with an adjustable stock to boot. Very nice rifles for both hft and the field, although a bit loud on firing.

 

Hope this helps, wurz

Thanks a lot for your reply, It had definitely shed some new light on the subject. I think I am leaning slightly more towards the TX200 than the 95K. I do want to try them both as you said to see which I prefer, but there are only two air rifle stockists within an hours drive that I know of here in Henfield (niether of which have a range or stock the TX200). I am considering making the journey to Ronnie Sunshines to get a clear feel for each of the guns.

 

Thanks again, it's nice to read a comparison of both pros and cons of each gun. Appreciated

[Gamatech 3]

if your after a tx in .22 giz a shout i have a scruffy one if you look threw my posts you will see i got it for feck all but have spent some time and money sorting it . new spring richer optics 6x40 milidot scope the stock has been stripped and re done and the rust has been removed the best i can , i could do with a re blue but if your interested £100 + post to your door

 

was shooting 10.9 with aa fields last time i checked

Thanks for pointing that out, but as a first time buyer I think I would much prefer a brand new rifle

[gurtwurz 792]

 

 

Hi mate, welcome to THL. Sounds like you've done your research so thats a good start. Of the two, personally I'd go for the tx over the 95 for a couple of reasons, one of these being that weihrauch's quality control is slipping a bit and theyre not what they used to be, unless theyre tuned in which case add another £50-70 to the asking price. Theyre still solid enough around the barrel latch though so accuracy is unlikely to be affected. The other reason I'd have a tx is because I find the 95 way too light, it does tend to bounce around a bit more than I'd like. I'm not a big bloke at all mind you, and I have no troubles carting a tx sized rifle size around all day. Theyre both rediculously accurate rifles so at the end of the day, try both and see which fits you best and feels most comfortable from all firing positions.

There is an alternative to both, that being the hw98, heavier than the 95 but not as weighty as a tx and with an adjustable stock to boot. Very nice rifles for both hft and the field, although a bit loud on firing.

 

Hope this helps, wurz

Thanks a lot for your reply, It had definitely shed some new light on the subject. I think I am leaning slightly more towards the TX200 than the 95K. I do want to try them both as you said to see which I prefer, but there are only two air rifle stockists within an hours drive that I know of here in Henfield (niether of which have a range or stock the TX200). I am considering making the journey to Ronnie Sunshines to get a clear feel for each of the guns.

 

Thanks again, it's nice to read a comparison of both pros and cons of each gun. Appreciated

Is that henfield in sussex?

[gurtwurz 792]

if your after a tx in .22 gizu a shout i have a scruffy one if you look threw my posts you will see i got it for feck all but have spent some time and money sorting it . new spring richer optics 6x40 milidot scope the stock has been stripped and re done and the rust has been removed the best i can , i could do with a re blue but if your interested £100 + post to your door

 

was shooting 10.9 with aa fields last time i checked

You have pm mate!

[Gamatech 3]

 

 

Hi mate, welcome to THL. Sounds like you've done your research so thats a good start. Of the two, personally I'd go for the tx over the 95 for a couple of reasons, one of these being that weihrauch's quality control is slipping a bit and theyre not what they used to be, unless theyre tuned in which case add another £50-70 to the asking price. Theyre still solid enough around the barrel latch though so accuracy is unlikely to be affected. The other reason I'd have a tx is because I find the 95 way too light, it does tend to bounce around a bit more than I'd like. I'm not a big bloke at all mind you, and I have no troubles carting a tx sized rifle size around all day. Theyre both rediculously accurate rifles so at the end of the day, try both and see which fits you best and feels most comfortable from all firing positions.

There is an alternative to both, that being the hw98, heavier than the 95 but not as weighty as a tx and with an adjustable stock to boot. Very nice rifles for both hft and the field, although a bit loud on firing.

 

Hope this helps, wurz

Thanks a lot for your reply, It had definitely shed some new light on the subject. I think I am leaning slightly more towards the TX200 than the 95K. I do want to try them both as you said to see which I prefer, but there are only two air rifle stockists within an hours drive that I know of here in Henfield (niether of which have a range or stock the TX200). I am considering making the journey to Ronnie Sunshines to get a clear feel for each of the guns.

 

Thanks again, it's nice to read a comparison of both pros and cons of each gun. Appreciated

Is that henfield in sussex?

 

Yes that's right, near-ish to Steyning. The two I mentioned are Surplus Store in Crawley and the Chichester Armoury. Surplus does have a range, but it's only 2-3 metres long, it's more of a target in a hallway haha!

[gurtwurz 792]

Try westons in brighton, theyre good. I'm down the road from you in shoreham so if you want I can meet up with you beforehand, they might do you a better deal? Theres a very good local club near you too at mile oak.

[pianoman 3,587]

Hi Gametech.

 

The weight of a TX200, or any spring rifle made today, is nothing to worry about. And if you really are carrying your rifle all day and getting tired, the truth of that is, you are moving about too much and thus having to carry it all the time; and you'll scare off everything that will have sensed your unstealthy presence in the first place.

 

Spring rifles are nothing as heavy as people will have you believe. If you can't manage the weight of any good quality one that is recommended to you here, then you have muscle and strength issues that are going to affect your health!

 

They can match any PCP for accuracy. All mine can produce genuine one-hole groups at any range I can steady them at in a light, unrestrictive hold. And that's as accurate as accuracy gets!

 

If you are going for a TX200 in.177 calibre you'll have one one of the finest air rifles money can buy. No ifs ot buts. It is absolutely superb in this calibre. I have a 10-year old TX200HC MkIII in .177 and it's blisteringly accurate and as fine as the day it was made.

 

Weihrauch are really beautifully well made when you get a good one. They were building fantastic rifles up to a good few years ago.

 

But the issues they've been having with component quality like badly cut springs lately is a serious black mark against them and will mean you will need to spend extra money getting them fettled and tuned into shape to make them the utterly superb air rifles they are. And that's not on really. They should be fit for purpose straight out of the box!

 

And even Air Arms are not without a few problems of their own.

 

Best of luck with your final choices.

Simon

 

Edited to add;

Don't be put off by the finer profile of the HW95. This is a serious hunting and sporting air rifle which is built like a panzer. The lock-up on Weihrauch's break barrel rifles is top drawer quality. In all my years of shooting them, including the 15 year old HW80 I've had from brand new, I have never experienced worn-out breech lock-up or barrel-droop from years of regular use. They just don't do that!

 

Cheap rubbish like Hatsans and Gamos do! Avoid!

Edited May 27, 2013 by pianoman

[Gamatech 3]

Try westons in brighton, theyre good. I'm down the road from you in shoreham so if you want I can meet up with you beforehand, they might do you a better deal? Theres a very good local club near you too at mile oak.

Thanks very much for mentioning that, it helps a lot more than you think. I've spent nearly as much time looking for a shop as I have for the rifles! This shop seems great as it stocks a wider range of both Air Arms and Weirauch. That's very nice of you to offer to meet up, if we choose to buy something that would be appreciated. I'll contact you if this is the case, thanks again.

[Gamatech 3]

Hi Gametech.

 

The weight of a TX200, or any spring rifle made today, is nothing to worry about. And if you really are carrying your rifle all day and getting tired, the truth of that is, you are moving about too much and thus having to carry it all the time; and you'll scare off everything that will have sensed your unstealthy presence in the first place.

 

Spring rifles are nothing as heavy as people will have you believe. If you can't manage the weight of any good quality one that is recommended to you here, then you have muscle and strength issues that are going to affect your health!

 

They can match any PCP for accuracy. All mine can produce genuine one-hole groups at any range I can steady them at in a light, unrestrictive hold. And that's as accurate as accuracy gets!

 

If you are going for a TX200 in.177 calibre you'll have one one of the finest air rifles money can buy. No ifs ot buts. It is absolutely superb in this calibre. I have a 10-year old TX200HC MkIII in .177 and it's blisteringly accurate and as fine as the day it was made.

 

Weihrauch are really beautifully well made when you get a good one. They were building fantastic rifles up to a good few years ago.

 

But the issues they've been having with component quality like badly cut springs lately is a serious black mark against them and will mean you will need to spend extra money getting them fettled and tuned into shape to make them the utterly superb air rifles they are. And that's not on really. They should be fit for purpose straight out of the box!

 

And even Air Arms are not without a few problems of their own.

 

Best of luck with your final choices.

Simon

 

Edited to add;

Don't be put off by the finer profile of the HW95. This is a serious hunting and sporting air rifle which is built like a panzer. The lock-up on Weihrauch's break barrel rifles is top drawer quality. In all my years of shooting them, including the 15 year old HW80 I've had from brand new, I have never experienced worn-out breech lock-up or barrel-droop from years of regular use. They just don't do that!

 

Cheap rubbish like Hatsans and Gamos do! Avoid!

Another constructive response, thanks for posting. I have settled on the TX200 now and the comments from you and others have been a big help. I am going somewhere to have a look at the TX200 and 97K very soon as they are pretty much one and the same. It''s nice to recieve helpful advice as on other forums I have read one or two word replies.

[DEAN R 26]

Try the airarms pro sport mate that's a good contestant mid weight very accurate and very good looking atb dean